Abbey Abramson

Low-lying district swept over by the monsoon A street, a storm, a receipt The monsoon swept over a low-lying district . The Martinez family responded quickly to flood warnings, stacking sandbags around their modest home and climbing to the roof to store vital documents. Despite forecasters’ assurances and a much-praised floodwall, disaster struck. The wall, seemingly as sturdy as the promises it represented, crumbled, allowing floodwater to surge into the streets. Days later, the Martinezes sifted through receipts for tarps and rice by a contractor's sign still claiming 'world-class climate resilience.' The week’s failure did not start with the storm; it was set in motion by decisions—tenders for favorites, skipped lab tests, buried oversight, and missed inspections—that weakened the project long before the river rose. Shortcuts and kickbacks left people vulnerable. This book examines how corruption exacerbates climate-related harms in developing countries. It explains how...

  Water Scarcity and Climate Stress Dried and dying lake Water scarcity is one of the most pressing challenges exacerbated by climate change. As global temperatures rise and precipitation patterns shift, freshwater resources become increasingly scarce, threatening ecosystems, agriculture, and human livelihoods. Water stress is particularly severe in arid and semi-arid regions, where water demand often exceeds supply, and climate change intensifies existing vulnerabilities. This section examines the drivers of water scarcity, the role of climate change, and its socio-economic and environmental consequences. The Growing Demand for Water and Declining Freshwater Resources The global demand for freshwater has been rising steadily due to population growth, urbanization, and agricultural expansion. Agriculture alone accounts for approximately 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, driven by the need to irrigate crops and support livestock (World Bank, 2021). Industrial activities and dome...

Thriving in a Changing World Food and Water Scarcity The Impacts of Climate Change on Food Systems Climate change is profoundly altering global food systems, affecting the availability, accessibility, and quality of food. Rising temperatures, shifting precipitation patterns, and increasing frequency of extreme weather events create unprecedented challenges for agriculture, fisheries, and livestock production. These impacts threaten food security worldwide , disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and regions already grappling with food insecurity. Rising Temperatures and Crop Yields One of the most direct impacts of climate change on food systems is the effect of rising temperatures on crop productivity. As global temperatures increase , many staple crops such as wheat, rice, and maize are experiencing reduced yields, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2021), global wheat and rice yields are ...